TOURISM IS MENTIONED AS TARGET, in three of seventeen, 2030 global agenda for Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs – numbers 8, 12 and 14. A recent event hosted by United Nations World Tourism Organisation, UNWTO, in Geneva, Switzerland, July 9, drove the point further to nations, that tourism unique potential as tool for global sustainable development is unquantifiable.
At the session entitled “Tourism Financing for the 2030 Agenda”, held during 2019 Global Review of Aid for Trade at the headquarters of the World Trade Organization, WTO, Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General, UNWTO, began the discussions by highlighting key role global tourism sector plays in economic growth and job creation.
Speakers noted, that for the sector to realise its huge potential, amount of aid and development financing directed towards tourism needed to be increased significantly. Ministers, development partners and financing institutions needed to better understand and recognise how tourism can contribute to the 2030 Sustainable Agenda.
Noted, also, was that unlocking tourism potential for realising 2030 Agenda, required combination of effective and robust policy frameworks, enhanced private sector action, and innovative approach to partnerships for development cooperation.
Zurab Pololikashvili said: “This is an important time for both the tourism and the international development sectors. Strengthening and unlocking aid flows for tourism will help the sector be a driver of job creation, as well as of social and economic development and economic diversity.
“UNWTO welcomes the opportunity to join ministers, tourism leaders and our partners for these important talks here in Geneva. Working together we can harness the power of the new aid architecture and ensure that nobody gets left behind as tourism transforms lives around the world.”
At the session with Zurab Pololikashvili were Arancha González, Executive Director, International Trade Centre, ITC, Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Tourism, Arab Republic of Egypt, Toshiyuki Nakamura, Director-General, Japan International Cooperation Agency, JICA, and Caroline Freund, Director of Trade, Regional Integration and Investment Climate, World Bank.
